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His Love To You · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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I just come to worship God now by singing to his praise in Psalm 84 of the Scottish Psalter version.
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Psalm 84, you'll find that on page 338 of the Blue Book.
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A familiar psalm to us, as it's good to sing the familiar psalms with the young ones here present with us before they go next door.
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From the beginning of that psalm, how lovely is thy dwelling place.
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O Lord of hosts to me, the tabernacles of thy grace, how pleasant Lord they be.
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My thirsty soul longs vehemently, ye faints thy courts to see.
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My very heart and flesh cry out, O living God for thee.
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We'll sing from the beginning of that psalm down to the end of verse Mark 6.
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To God's praise, let us stand to sing.
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How lovely is thy dwelling place.
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Our lovely is thy dwelling place.
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O Lord of hosts to me.
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The tabernacles of thy grace.
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How blessed Lord they be.
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My heart and fleshly, my heart and flesh cry out, O living God for thee.
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My heart and flesh cry out, O living God for thee.
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My heart and flesh cry out, O living God for thee.
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I have seen the name of that psalm down to the end of verse Mark 6.
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The heart and flesh try out, O living God for thee.
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Behold the spot of thy divine, and thy strength to rest.
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The swallow also for herself, a purchase of the nest.
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In thine own altars where she stayed, her young was forth made vain.
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O love, almighty Lord of hosts, who art my God and King.
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Lest, darling, in thy hearts not dwell, may ever give thee praise.
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Lest is the man who strength the heart, in whose heart are thine ways.
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You passing that of me, God's will, may in due day God dwells.
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O so the rain that falleth die, the pools with water fills.
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Amen.
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We'll say a short prayer for the young ones before they go through next door.
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Let us pray together.
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Our Heavenly Father, we give thanks for this day that you have given to us,
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and all the privileges of it.
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We thank you for the people that are gathered here,
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and we pray that we would be known by you,
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and that you would know us in the depths of our hearts,
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the things that trouble us,
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and the things that we are ever so thankful to you for.
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And we just thank you for all the families that are gathered here.
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We pray for the young ones that are meeting with us,
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and we pray that they would come to know Jesus Christ,
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and that they would trust in him for their lives.
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And as they go through next door,
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we pray that they would learn more about him,
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and his beauty and presence with them,
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that they trust in him.
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We pray also for the teachers that teach them,
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and ask that you too would be with them.
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We pray for this time of holiday,
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and we thank you for friends and family gathering from other places,
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and that we have the time to go and meet with others,
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and that we can just enjoy the company of one another,
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and the love that we share with one another,
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be restored and renewed.
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We just pray that ultimately,
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we would know as we gather together,
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that we would meet with you this morning,
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and that our love for you would be rekindled,
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and that we would say that it is good to meet with you.
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As we draw near to your word,
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may it speak to us,
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and we just ask that you would go with us
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in every step that we take,
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even as we gather here,
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protect our minds from being led astray,
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and that we would give our minds attention
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to the Lord Jesus Christ,
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who died at Calvary for us.
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So we thank you for all that we receive through him,
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and we ask all things through his name.
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Amen.
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I'll just say a short word to the younger,
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young ones that are here with us,
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and I was in the garden shop a couple of months ago,
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probably about six months ago,
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and I love raspberries,
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and there was a wee raspberry bush there.
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It just looked like sticks.
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There wasn't much to it.
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I thought, well, we'll buy one.
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I said to the girls,
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we'll buy one,
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we'll stick one in the garden,
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and hopefully we'll get raspberries of it.
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But the man said to us,
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well, I don't know,
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will you get any of it this year?
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You might get one or two.
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But we did get a few,
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and the girls found a raspberry on the bush
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a couple of weeks ago,
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and they were delighted coming into the house
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saying, we found a raspberry.
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I thought I would take one in to show you.
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Now, I have a watch here.
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You see it?
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A raspberry there.
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It's big, isn't it?
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Looks juicy and yummy, doesn't it?
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Yeah?
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You like raspberries?
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Yeah?
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Yeah, they're good.
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I love them too.
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This isn't the one I brought in from my bush.
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Let me show you the one I brought in from my bush.
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That's it.
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There's not much to it, is there?
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No.
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No, I thought I could just plant it,
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and I would get loads of lovely raspberries
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from this plant.
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But I didn't really look after it.
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I just stuck it in the ground,
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and we got one or two,
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but that was it.
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The birds have been eating the rest.
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So I wasn't really doing a good job
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looking after the plant.
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But in the Bible, we are told,
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and we'll spend time on this with the grown-ups,
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that we are branches,
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that Jesus Christ is like the main stem of the branch,
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like the roots,
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and God is the one that looks after the plant.
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And when God looks after the plant,
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and that we are like branches attached to Jesus Christ,
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we bring forth loads of fruit.
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We look tasty like that,
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nice juicy raspberry.
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It's good, isn't it?
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It is good.
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This one isn't good.
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And I'm not going to eat that one.
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I won't eat it.
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When we stay with Jesus,
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we will be beautiful.
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We will be something that pleases
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the one who looks after the plant.
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The one who looks after the plant is God.
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I didn't look after this plant very well,
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and I wasn't very pleased to see
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that the birds had eaten all my raspberries.
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But God looks after you.
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And if you trust your lives to Jesus,
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and you stay with Jesus,
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and you listen to the words of Jesus,
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when he tells you to obey your parents,
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that's a good thing to do,
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to share all your things that you have with others.
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That's a good thing to do,
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to love one another,
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to be nice and to be kind,
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to do all these good things.
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God will be happy with you.
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Yeah?
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So when you see raspberries,
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when you see these juicy raspberries,
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or juicy strawberries,
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remember that you can be a branch,
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and that you can be something pleasing to God,
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if you listen to what God says,
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and you listen to all that he asks us to do.
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So we'll say the Lord's Prayer together before you go.
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Okay?
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Close your eyes,
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put your hands together.
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Our Father,
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which art in heaven,
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hallowed be thy name.
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Thy kingdom come.
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Thy will be done on earth,
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as it is in heaven.
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Give us this day our daily bread,
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and forgive us our debts,
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as we forgive our debtors.
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Lead us not into temptation,
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but deliver us from evil.
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For thine is the kingdom,
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the power and the glory,
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forever.
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Amen.
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Well, thank you,
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boys and girls,
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for listening to me.
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And remember,
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Jesus,
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if we stay with him,
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we will become beautiful
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in God's eyes.
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So we'll continue in our praise by singing in Psalm 63 of the Sing Psalms version on page 80,
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page 80 of the blue book.
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Psalm 63 from the beginning of that psalm.
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Psalm that speaks about having confidence in God in the times of trouble.
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We'll sing from verse down to verse 1 to 8.
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Oh God,
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you are my God alone.
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I seek your face with eagerness.
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My soul and body thirst for you
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in this dry weary wilderness.
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Down to the last verse there from 7 to 8.
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Because you are my help alone.
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And shadow off your wings I'll sing.
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You hold me up with your right hand.
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To you,
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O God,
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my soul will cling.
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So we'll sing these verses together.
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We'll stand to sing.
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O God,
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you are my God alone.
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O God,
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you are my God alone.
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I seek your face with eagerness.
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My soul and body thirst for you
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and rest my weary wilderness.
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In this dry weary wilderness.
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I've seen you in your holy place.
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Your power and glory held my gaze.
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For better is,
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your love,
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the light,
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and so my lips
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will sing your praise.
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I'll bless you,
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Lord,
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throughout my life,
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and raise my hand to you in prayer.
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My joyfulness will sing your praise.
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My soul is fed with riches fair.
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Upon my bed,
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I lie awake,
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and in my thoughts remember you.
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I meditate throughout the night,
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and keep your constant love in you.
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Because you are my help alone,
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in shadow of your wings I'll sing.
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You hold me up with your right hand.
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To you,
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O God,
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my soul will play.
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Amen.
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We'll turn now to a reading of the Word of God.
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We'll find that in the Gospel of John,
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chapter 15,
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from the beginning of that chapter.
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Gospel of John,
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reading from chapter 15 at the beginning.
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And we'll read down to the end of verse Mark 17.
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Let us hear the Word of God.
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I am the true vine,
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and my Father is the vine dresser.
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Every branch of mine that does not bear fruit,
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he takes away,
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and every branch that does bear fruit,
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he prunes,
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that it may bear more fruit.
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Already you are clean
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because of the word that I have spoken to you.
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Abide in me,
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and I in you.
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As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself
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unless it abides in the vine,
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neither can you.
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Unless you abide in me.
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I am the vine,
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you are the branches.
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Whoever abides in me,
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and I in him,
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he it is that bears much fruit.
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For apart from me,
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you can do nothing.
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If anyone does not abide in me,
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he is thrown away like a branch and wither,
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and the branches are gathered,
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thrown into the fire,
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and burned.
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If you abide in me,
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and my words abide in you,
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ask whatever you wish,
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and it will be done for you.
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By this my Father is glorified,
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that you bear much fruit,
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and so prove to be my disciples.
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As the Father has loved me,
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so I have loved you.
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Abide in my love.
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If you keep my commandments,
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you will abide in my love,
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just as I have kept my Father's commandments,
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and abide in his love.
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These things I have spoken to you,
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that my joy may be in you,
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and that your joy may be full.
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This is my commandment,
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that you love one another,
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as I have loved you.
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Greater love has no one than this,
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that someone lays down his life for his friends.
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You are my friends,
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if you do what I command you.
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No longer do I call you servants,
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for the servant does not know
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what his master is doing,
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but I have called you friends.
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For all that I have heard from my Father,
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I have made known to you.
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You did not choose me,
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but I chose you,
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and appointed you,
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that you should go and bear fruit,
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and that your fruit should abide,
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so that whatever you ask the Father in my name,
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he may give it to you.
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These things I command you,
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so that you will love one another.
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Amen.
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May the reading of God's word
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be a blessing to the hearer of it.
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Let us join together in prayer.
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Our Father in heaven,
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we give thanks that we are gathered here again,
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and that we have your word set before us,
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and that by reading it,
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we have revealed to us
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the greatest things of you,
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and the greatness of your love for us,
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and how we struggle to comprehend it.
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We struggle to grasp it.
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We struggle to understand the depths of your love for us,
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the breadth of it,
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the height of it,
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the length of it,
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the width of it.
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But Lord,
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we pray as we gather this morning,
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and consider your love,
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that a measure of it would be made known to us,
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and that we would be certain of your love to mankind,
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and your love to us.
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Lord,
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let your word speak to us.
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May the riches of it come before us,
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and our rested hearts.
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May your love be evident amongst your people,
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that we would be fulfilling the command that is set before us,
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to love one another,
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to love the brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus,
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but to love also those who are not in Christ,
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that their heart desire would be,
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and our love would be,
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for the lost amongst us,
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and the lost that are within our community,
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and our families,
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and our friends,
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that we would have the greatest desire to go out,
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and tell them about the greatest love of the world,
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greatest love beyond the world,
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that we find in Jesus Christ,
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that it would be openly shared,
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and not with hell,
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as Christ himself shared,
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the things of God with us,
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and his plans and purposes for our lives,
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that he will be one that will go before us,
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and prepare a place for us,
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and we can be assured of his love,
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when we come to the cross at Calvary,
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because he died for us,
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and we can be certain,
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and sure,
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that his love,
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is for us,
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Lord,
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as we come to these things,
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we admit our weaknesses in understanding it,
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but we pray that your spirit would enable us,
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and if we do things of our own selves,
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it says there in the words,
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that we will come to nothing,
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and likewise,
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more so when we come to your words,
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that we do not rely on our own strength,
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or our own wisdom to understand it,
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or to speak to the hearts of others,
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or to speak to the hearts of others,
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or to rely on the power of your spirit,
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that it would go forth from your words,
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into the hearts of sinners,
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convicting, converting,
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persuading,
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and enabling them to embrace the greatest love of Jesus Christ,
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and that they may come and abide in him,
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and rest in him,
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receiving the greatest joy of life,
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and finding in themselves the purpose of their lives,
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that they are not left estranged,
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they are not abandoned,
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they are not forgotten about,
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but the love of Jesus Christ extends to them,
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as our loving heavenly father does to his child,
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the father does not forget about his children,
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but he calls them to come to him,
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and to come and confess the pains of our hearts,
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and the agonies of our hearts,
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the plights of life,
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and that you will hear our prayer,
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and you do not withhold your grace from us,
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and that you will answer us,
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according to your wisdom,
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and your ways,
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often it is just the groaning of our hearts,
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that we can echo,
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but you know them too,
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Lord,
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we give thanks for all that you have done for us,
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and continue to do for us,
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we ask that you would continue to go before us in all things,
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and every step of life,
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which is so uncertain to us,
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we do not know what an hour brings forth for any of us,
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we are often surprised,
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we are often shocked,
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but we can rest assured,
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that the love of God will ever remain,
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it surprises us when it comes to us,
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but it is not one that will depart from us,
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we can trust in it eternally,
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and even beyond this life,
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for death will not end that love,
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that love will continue in eternity,
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for Jesus is alive,
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and his love is ever present with us,
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we pray for each one that is gathered here,
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and our situations,
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we pray for those who are sick,
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we pray for those who are mourning,
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we ask that you would be their comforter,
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and draw near to them,
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be their strength,
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O Lord,
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we pray,
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that they would know you,
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being present with them,
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and abiding with them,
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Lord,
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we just ask that you would be with us,
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in the preaching of the gospel,
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whatever it be,
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gathered here,
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or across our nation,
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that it would go with your power,
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that it would go with your spirit,
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that it would grow with great effect,
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and we say,
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that we may see,
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people turning to abide in Christ Jesus,
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and turning to rest,
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under the shadow of his wings,
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and the shelter that he gives to us,
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that we are joy may be full,
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and the joy of Christ Jesus,
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may fill the land of Scotland,
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that we remember Alex and Nina from Moldova,
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we pray for him,
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as he preaches the gospel also,
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that he may be an encouragement to one another,
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that we may strengthen one another,
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as we meet tonight,
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we pray for Alex and Nina,
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and the boys,
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as they speak to us,
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and speak to the young ones,
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that they may,
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to likewise,
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bring the beauty of Christ with them,
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that dwells within their hearts,
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we pray for them,
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in Nisborain,
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and the work that they do in the church,
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and that you would be their strength,
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as they welcome,
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and support neighbouring Ukraine,
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and the people that flee,
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from the dangers that are there,
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we pray,
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that you would bring peace in that land,
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we pray for Russia,
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and their forces,
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and that they would turn from their ways,
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in which they are set upon,
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that they may see the folly of their ways,
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that they would question their ways,
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and ask why are we doing such a thing,
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to our mankind,
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we just pray,
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that you would,
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be over us in all things,
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we pray for the young,
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as they enjoy time of holiday,
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and return to schools,
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we remember the teaching staff as well,
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as they prepare,
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to have the children come back,
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just ask that you would bless the children,
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in their young years,
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and that they may hear the gospel,
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and know it,
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and not depart from it,
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and their lives may grow in,
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through him,
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and become beautiful,
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in the eyes of God,
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as we too,
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trust in Christ,
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may our lives,
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echo his beauty,
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and be pleasing,
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to God,
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all these things,
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we ask in the name of Jesus Christ,
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your son,
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and our saviour,
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amen,
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we continue in praise to God,
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by singing in Psalm 45,
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in the Sing Psalms version,
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on page 56,
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Psalm 45,
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from the beginning of that psalm,
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a noble theme inspires my heart,
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with verses for the king,
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my tongues a skillful writer's pen,
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composing lines to sing,
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you far excel the best of men,
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your lips are full of grace,
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for God has blessed you evermore,
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as light shines on your face,
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we'll just sing,
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down to the end of verse Mark 4,
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these four stanzas,
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it is a love song,
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a love that the king gives to his people,
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and it is a noble theme,
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that should inspire the heart,
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of every one of us,
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the love that Jesus Christ,
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our king has for us,
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so we'll sing these four stanzas,
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a noble theme,
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inspires my heart,
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let us stand and sing,
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praise to God,
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a noble theme,
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inspires my heart,
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with verses for the king,
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my songs a skillful writer's pen,
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my songs a skillful writer's pen,
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from the old sea lines to sing,
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you far excel the best of men,
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your lips are full of grace,
27:03
for God has blessed you evermore,
27:11
his light shines on your face,
27:19
O mighty one,
27:27
and find it on your thigh,
27:34
with glorious center,
27:39
with glorious center,
27:43
and with your majesty,
27:47
sacrifice,
27:48
your badge,
27:50
glad to hend to be worthy of,
27:52
—
28:09
I can't display your deeds
28:15
of all of separate and lies.
28:27
Let me turn back to the passage that we read together.
28:32
And we'll have a focus between verse 9 and verse 13.
28:38
Verse 9, as the Father has loved me, so I have loved you.
28:43
Abide in my love.
28:45
And verse 13, greater love has no one than this,
28:49
that someone lays down his life for his friends.
28:53
Have you ever wondered if God loves you?
28:56
Have you ever questioned God if he cares for you?
29:00
I'm sure many of you have.
29:02
On often times of difficulties, when life is hard,
29:06
we ask these things of God.
29:08
We don't tend to ask it, though, when life is going well.
29:12
Maybe that's for fear that we may think that it is true,
29:17
that God loves us.
29:19
Regardless of whatever situation we are in tonight,
29:22
or today, this morning,
29:24
I hope that we will realize that God loves us
29:29
as we come to this passage.
29:30
And this passage that we have here in chapter 15,
29:34
it's the last words of Jesus Christ to his disciples.
29:38
As he met with them in the upper room
29:40
before he was taken away to be crucified.
29:43
He is preparing and strengthening his disciples,
29:46
his friends, before he departs,
29:49
and for what is to come.
29:52
And the chapters between chapter 13 and chapter 17,
29:55
we have some of the richest passages of Scripture set before us.
30:00
It is, as anyone's last words would be,
30:04
a weighty expression of his love for them.
30:10
And in it, what we have set before us today,
30:13
is love present and love practiced.
30:17
There are two points today,
30:18
love present and love practiced.
30:22
But before we take these points by means of introduction,
30:25
we look at the image briefly that is set before us here
30:30
of this true vine.
30:32
The vine that is used to express the love of God
30:36
and the love of Jesus Christ.
30:38
The vine that grows with many branches.
30:42
The father that cares for this plant.
30:45
The vine, which is Christ,
30:49
the substance of it, the stem, the roots, is Christ.
30:53
And this is the main focus of the father's devotion and love.
30:59
And out of that stem, that root, that vine,
31:04
comes the branches.
31:06
We are the branches, the people of God,
31:10
who only bear fruit when we abide in Christ.
31:16
Jesus is saying to them,
31:18
you are made as a branch.
31:21
You are made to bear good fruit.
31:25
And you can only do that when you are connected to me.
31:29
When you are connected to the vine.
31:32
And if you do not take your strength from me,
31:34
well, we learn that the branch withers.
31:37
For the branch will not be a pleasing sight like fruit.
31:43
It will be bare.
31:45
And we only fulfill our created purpose
31:49
by abiding in Christ.
31:53
What we have here,
31:56
we are the branches.
31:58
Every one of us here is like a branch.
32:03
And you are created by God
32:06
to be a part of his purposes.
32:11
And even in that itself,
32:14
your answer to your question,
32:15
does God love you?
32:17
He has created you.
32:18
And he wants you to be a part of him.
32:21
Answer it with assurance
32:23
that yes, he does love you.
32:25
This is the best place for you.
32:29
To be adjoined to Jesus Christ.
32:31
To be abiding in the love of Christ.
32:35
And if you are,
32:36
it says that your life will be abundantly beautiful.
32:40
There is no comparison
32:42
between the branch that bears fruit
32:45
and the branch that withers.
32:47
And it is a joyful thing
32:50
to have fruit.
32:52
Just like my children
32:53
came running into the house
32:54
to show me
32:56
that they had found a raspberry.
32:58
It is a joyful thing
33:00
to bear fruit for God.
33:03
And it is a joy
33:04
that you bear fruit to God.
33:08
We will find joy
33:10
in abiding in Christ.
33:12
And what is expressed in this image
33:16
is the love of God.
33:19
The love of God made known
33:21
to the branch through the vine.
33:24
The love of God
33:25
that we know through Jesus.
33:28
Just as the Father loves me,
33:32
so I love you.
33:35
It is passed on.
33:37
The love of God
33:38
we know through Jesus Christ.
33:42
And he is comforting
33:43
his friends,
33:45
his disciples in these words
33:46
by saying
33:49
that God
33:50
will remain with you.
33:53
The love of God
33:55
will be known
33:55
in your life
33:57
through me.
34:00
And when you know my love,
34:01
you will know my joy.
34:04
And it will be like no other joy
34:06
that you have ever known.
34:09
So we ask ourselves,
34:10
what sort of branch
34:13
are we this morning?
34:15
Do we abide in Christ?
34:17
Are we bringing forth fruit
34:18
for God?
34:20
Or are we a branch
34:21
that is set on its own ways
34:23
and will ultimately wither?
34:27
So love present
34:29
in this passage.
34:31
Really what I want to do first
34:33
is see how love present
34:35
in our lives.
34:37
and how we understand love
34:40
in comparison
34:41
to the presence
34:41
of God's love.
34:43
Because we are so often
34:44
the branch
34:45
that does not want
34:46
to abide in Christ,
34:47
aren't we?
34:48
We so often want
34:49
to do things our way.
34:51
We want to love
34:52
the things of the world
34:53
without Christ.
34:54
We don't want
34:55
to love Christ
34:57
in and of ourselves.
34:59
We want to live
35:00
without him.
35:01
But we are told
35:02
that that branch
35:03
withers.
35:03
life without Christ
35:06
leaves us empty
35:07
at the end of the day.
35:09
A love
35:10
without the love
35:11
of Christ
35:12
leaves us bare.
35:15
And in the sight
35:16
of God
35:16
is no good.
35:18
And you can think
35:19
of all the things
35:20
that you love
35:20
in this world,
35:21
not in a romantic sense,
35:23
but where the affections
35:24
of your heart
35:24
are drawn to.
35:26
You have many
35:27
different things.
35:28
It may be football,
35:30
it may be rugby,
35:31
cars,
35:32
bikes,
35:32
it may be your home,
35:34
it may be your bed.
35:36
You can love
35:37
the smallest of things
35:38
and you can love
35:40
the greatest of things.
35:41
As the people
35:43
around us,
35:43
the friends
35:44
and the families
35:45
that we have,
35:46
there's a vast difference
35:47
between these loves.
35:50
But love
35:50
is every bit
35:52
a part of us.
35:54
What is your
35:55
greatest love
35:57
in this world?
35:59
What is your
35:59
greatest love
36:00
in this world?
36:00
And has your love
36:03
been perfect
36:05
to that thing
36:06
or person?
36:08
Has your love
36:09
ever deviated
36:10
in its devotion
36:11
to the object
36:13
of your love?
36:14
Has your love
36:14
ever grown cold?
36:15
Has your love
36:16
ever changed?
36:17
Has your love
36:17
ever been distracted
36:18
by something else?
36:20
It probably has
36:21
if we are honest
36:22
with ourselves.
36:24
Because our love,
36:25
it's not perfect.
36:27
Our love fluctuates.
36:29
It grows.
36:30
It fades.
36:32
Our love moves.
36:33
It changes.
36:35
And our love
36:35
can decay.
36:37
We place our love
36:39
in the things
36:40
of this world.
36:42
But they are liable
36:43
to disappoint us.
36:46
And so also
36:47
we can disappoint them.
36:49
And ultimately
36:50
the loves
36:51
of this world
36:52
will come
36:53
to an end.
36:54
and that may
36:57
leave us
36:58
chasing other loves.
37:00
Our heart's desire
37:01
is to love.
37:04
Love
37:04
of the world
37:05
only temporarily
37:06
satisfies us.
37:08
And it is true
37:09
that maybe
37:09
we can say
37:10
that we can exhaust
37:11
the loves
37:11
of this world.
37:14
And sometimes
37:15
we can say
37:15
sadly
37:16
that the loves
37:18
of this world
37:19
fail us.
37:19
where do you go
37:22
then?
37:23
When every love
37:24
of the world
37:25
has failed you
37:26
where do you go?
37:28
What do you love?
37:31
So we can chase
37:32
after all the things
37:33
of this world.
37:34
We can grab
37:35
a hold of them
37:36
but our love
37:37
deviates.
37:39
Our love grows
37:40
cold.
37:40
Our love changes.
37:43
It's like
37:44
chasing the wind.
37:44
We try and grab
37:46
and hold love
37:47
but we never
37:49
quite get it.
37:51
We're never
37:51
quite satisfied
37:52
with it.
37:52
It never quite
37:53
gives us joy.
37:56
We're left
37:56
withered
37:57
when we try
37:58
and satisfy
38:00
ourselves
38:01
with the love
38:02
of the world.
38:04
When we try
38:05
to keep our love
38:06
alive
38:06
by our own strength
38:08
and our own loves
38:09
we're left
38:11
fruitless.
38:13
Someone once
38:14
said that the
38:14
loneliest place
38:15
in the world
38:15
is a human heart
38:17
where love is absent.
38:20
And there's truth
38:20
to that.
38:23
But love
38:24
is not absent
38:25
in God.
38:28
It is our nature
38:29
to love
38:30
to give love
38:31
to know love
38:33
and we can all
38:35
say and agree
38:35
together
38:36
in one voice
38:37
that love
38:38
gives us
38:39
the greatest joy
38:40
in this life
38:41
but love
38:42
so also
38:43
gives us
38:43
the sourest
38:44
of pains.
38:46
Great are the marks
38:47
of great love
38:48
and great
38:50
are the marks
38:50
of great love
38:51
that is lost.
38:53
Love
38:54
it leaves
38:55
an impression
38:56
on us
38:56
and while
38:59
so sore
39:00
and so painful
39:01
at times
39:02
it still
39:03
retains
39:04
something
39:04
of beauty.
39:05
the dictionary
39:07
describes love
39:08
as something
39:09
profoundly tender
39:11
and that it is.
39:14
John Owen
39:15
would say
39:16
that love
39:17
is a jewel
39:18
of human
39:19
nature
39:20
because it's
39:22
well it's a precious
39:22
thing.
39:24
A jewel
39:24
is precious.
39:25
It's valuable,
39:26
it's beautiful,
39:26
it's desirable
39:27
but really
39:29
the beauty
39:30
of the jewel
39:31
is only
39:32
fully seen
39:33
and fully
39:34
realised
39:35
and put
39:36
on display
39:37
when it
39:38
trusts and
39:39
abides in
39:40
Christ.
39:41
The love
39:42
of our nature
39:43
is only
39:44
fulfilled
39:45
and made
39:47
joyous
39:47
when we
39:48
dwell
39:49
in Christ
39:50
and we
39:52
become branches
39:52
that please
39:54
the vine
39:55
dresser.
39:55
our love
39:58
of itself
39:59
fluctuates,
40:00
it's not
40:01
perfect.
40:03
Our love,
40:04
what is our
40:05
love
40:05
in comparison
40:07
to the love
40:08
present here
40:09
in Jesus
40:10
Christ?
40:12
We think
40:13
of the love
40:14
of Christ,
40:15
we have it
40:16
equally
40:16
in the love
40:18
of God.
40:19
We are of
40:20
the same
40:20
thing
40:21
in verse 9,
40:22
as the
40:22
Father has
40:23
loved me
40:23
so I
40:25
have loved
40:25
you and
40:27
he calls
40:27
us to
40:28
abide
40:28
in that
40:29
love.
40:30
This is
40:30
the greatest
40:30
love we
40:31
can know.
40:32
This is
40:32
the greatest
40:33
love that
40:35
we can
40:35
receive.
40:37
This is
40:37
a love
40:38
that does
40:38
not fluctuate,
40:39
it does
40:39
not move,
40:40
it does
40:40
not change,
40:42
it does
40:43
not decay
40:44
over time.
40:45
Christ's
40:46
love and
40:47
God's
40:47
love are
40:48
firm and
40:49
sure.
40:51
The vine
40:51
Christ is
40:52
loved by
40:53
the vine
40:53
dresser.
40:54
God's
40:56
love is
40:57
continually
40:58
expressed
40:58
towards
40:59
Christ.
41:00
God's
41:01
love is
41:01
eternally
41:02
present
41:02
towards
41:03
Christ.
41:03
God's
41:04
love is
41:04
inexhaustible
41:06
and it
41:07
is a
41:07
love that
41:08
we receive
41:09
through
41:09
Christ.
41:11
And we
41:12
can be
41:14
secure
41:14
and assured
41:16
of that
41:17
love as
41:18
God loves
41:19
his Son.
41:20
love is
41:23
perfected
41:25
because love
41:27
is
41:27
untainted
41:28
in God.
41:30
God's
41:31
love is
41:31
pure.
41:33
We can
41:33
say that
41:33
love is
41:34
fulfilled
41:35
in God
41:36
and Christ.
41:38
Love is
41:39
complete.
41:42
His love
41:42
is the
41:42
greatest
41:43
love and
41:44
really his
41:45
love, it
41:46
is the
41:47
essence of
41:47
what love
41:47
is because
41:48
it is
41:48
full,
41:49
because it
41:50
is
41:50
untainted.
41:52
The
41:52
greatest
41:53
love is
41:53
the love
41:53
of God.
41:55
The
41:55
greatest
41:55
love we
41:56
receive is
41:57
the love
41:57
of God
41:58
through
41:59
Jesus
42:00
Christ.
42:04
Great
42:05
love, it
42:06
is never
42:06
alone.
42:08
It is
42:08
something that
42:09
stimulates
42:09
action.
42:11
Love is
42:12
outworked by
42:12
some means
42:13
and it is a
42:14
great confirmation
42:15
of the love
42:15
within the
42:16
heart when
42:17
you see the
42:17
actions of
42:18
it.
42:20
Jesus is
42:20
not only
42:21
telling his
42:22
disciples about
42:23
the love
42:24
that he has
42:25
for them,
42:27
he is
42:28
preparing them
42:29
and expressing
42:29
them about
42:30
how he will
42:32
show it
42:32
to them.
42:35
Love is
42:35
present and
42:36
abounding in
42:37
Christ,
42:38
but love
42:41
will be
42:42
practiced
42:42
by Christ.
42:45
You see
42:45
there,
42:46
in verse
42:47
13,
42:49
greater love
42:50
has no
42:50
one than
42:50
this,
42:51
that someone
42:51
lays down
42:52
his life
42:53
for his
42:53
friend.
42:54
Our
42:54
second
42:55
point,
42:55
love
42:56
practiced.
42:58
Christ's
42:59
life is
43:00
a manifestation
43:01
of the
43:02
perfect love
43:04
of God
43:04
and the
43:05
resulting
43:06
actions of
43:07
what you
43:07
see in
43:08
Jesus'
43:10
love.
43:11
You search
43:11
through the
43:12
gospels and
43:13
you see the
43:13
love of Jesus
43:14
Christ coming
43:14
through.
43:15
He cared
43:16
for others,
43:16
he cured
43:17
for others.
43:19
He did
43:20
not revile
43:20
or reject
43:21
others.
43:22
He called
43:23
them to
43:23
come to
43:24
him with
43:25
a loving
43:25
heart.
43:25
He compelled
43:26
them to
43:27
come.
43:28
He
43:29
compassionately
43:29
taught them
43:30
and met
43:31
their need.
43:33
The low
43:33
were not
43:34
too low
43:34
for him,
43:35
the high
43:36
were not
43:37
too high
43:37
for him.
43:39
But here
43:40
in verse
43:40
13 we have
43:41
an explanation
43:42
of what
43:42
great love
43:43
looks like
43:44
and what
43:44
the greatest
43:45
display of
43:46
love is
43:47
that a man
43:47
would die
43:48
for his
43:48
friends.
43:50
But we are
43:50
mindful as we
43:51
come to this
43:52
that this is
43:52
only a portrayal
43:53
of what great
43:54
love looks
43:55
like.
43:57
In human
43:57
terms it
43:59
is understandable
44:00
that we would
44:01
die for someone
44:02
whom we
44:03
greatly love
44:04
and the
44:06
greatest action
44:07
that we could
44:08
have for that
44:09
person would
44:10
be to die
44:10
for them.
44:13
And if
44:14
someone died
44:14
for us
44:15
out of
44:16
love we
44:17
would be
44:18
left in
44:18
no uncertain
44:19
terms as
44:20
to the
44:20
love that
44:21
that person
44:22
had for
44:23
you.
44:26
He died
44:27
because he
44:28
loved you
44:28
with a
44:28
great love
44:29
and there
44:31
would be no
44:31
doubt about
44:32
it in your
44:32
heart if he
44:34
had died
44:34
for you.
44:36
And others
44:36
would say
44:37
if they
44:38
looked at
44:38
the person
44:39
that died
44:40
they could
44:41
say well
44:41
look how
44:42
much he
44:42
loved you.
44:45
And you
44:45
could say
44:46
yourself
44:46
look how
44:49
much he
44:50
loved me
44:51
because he
44:52
died for me
44:53
and he gave
44:53
his life
44:54
for me.
44:56
Jesus is
44:57
reminding his
44:57
disciples here
44:58
before he
44:59
goes of what
45:00
great love
45:01
looks like
45:02
and what the
45:02
greatest love
45:03
of man
45:03
looks like
45:04
because Christ
45:06
was shortly
45:07
going to die
45:08
for them
45:08
and the
45:10
love of
45:10
Christ
45:10
for his
45:12
friends
45:12
drove him
45:14
to die
45:14
for them.
45:16
This is how
45:17
he would
45:17
show his
45:18
love so
45:19
that they
45:20
would not
45:20
doubt,
45:21
so that they
45:22
would not
45:22
question nor
45:23
wonder whether
45:25
he loved
45:25
them or not.
45:27
Is this the
45:28
greatest display
45:29
of love
45:30
in human
45:31
reasoning?
45:33
Yes,
45:34
that a man
45:35
would die
45:35
for one of
45:36
his friends.
45:37
But is this
45:38
what Christ
45:38
did?
45:40
Well,
45:40
not really.
45:43
You see,
45:44
the love of
45:44
Christ was
45:45
greater and
45:47
more, far
45:48
more abounding
45:49
than the
45:50
greatest of
45:51
man's love.
45:53
The death
45:54
of Christ
45:54
was a
45:55
greater display
45:56
of the
45:57
greatest of
45:58
what man
45:59
could give
45:59
and offer.
46:01
For Christ
46:02
died for
46:02
his friends
46:03
and his
46:04
enemies.
46:06
We see in
46:06
Romans 5,
46:07
it tells us
46:08
that God
46:09
shows his
46:11
love for
46:12
us,
46:12
that while
46:13
we were
46:14
still sinners,
46:16
Christ
46:16
died for
46:17
us.
46:19
He died
46:20
for his
46:20
friends,
46:21
yes.
46:22
He died
46:23
for those
46:23
who loved
46:24
him.
46:25
But he
46:25
died also
46:26
unequally
46:27
for the
46:28
people
46:28
that
46:29
condemned
46:30
him to
46:30
the cross,
46:30
the people
46:32
who spat
46:33
on him,
46:34
the one
46:34
who took
46:35
his name
46:35
in vain,
46:36
the one
46:37
who wanted
46:38
nothing to
46:39
do with
46:39
him,
46:41
the passerby
46:42
who slandered
46:44
him.
46:46
He died
46:47
for the
46:47
sinner.
46:49
He died
46:50
for the
46:50
one that
46:51
does not
46:51
want to
46:51
go to
46:52
church on
46:52
Sunday
46:53
morning,
46:53
nor listen
46:54
to this
46:55
service.
46:55
Christ
46:58
died
47:00
for you.
47:03
And you
47:03
might ask,
47:04
well,
47:04
why did
47:04
Christ
47:05
die for
47:06
me?
47:08
Well,
47:10
it's so
47:10
that you
47:11
may know
47:11
in no
47:13
uncertain
47:14
terms how
47:15
much he
47:16
loves you.
47:18
And that
47:19
I can say
47:20
with confidence
47:20
to you,
47:24
see how
47:24
much Jesus
47:26
loves you.
47:28
And that
47:28
you can
47:29
say in
47:29
your heart,
47:31
see how
47:32
much Jesus
47:33
loves me.
47:37
And we
47:38
can't
47:38
understand
47:39
really
47:40
someone
47:41
dying
47:42
for their
47:43
enemy.
47:44
We
47:44
struggle to
47:45
comprehend
47:46
that someone
47:47
would give
47:47
their lives
47:48
for someone
47:50
they did
47:51
not like,
47:52
someone that
47:53
did not
47:53
love them
47:54
back.
47:55
But such
47:56
was Christ's
47:57
love.
47:59
And so
47:59
far more
48:00
abounding
48:01
than the
48:02
greatest love
48:02
of man,
48:03
that he
48:04
died for
48:05
us while
48:06
we did
48:07
not love
48:08
him.
48:10
And that
48:10
is why the
48:11
cross is so
48:11
treasured by
48:12
Christians.
48:14
When we
48:15
come to that
48:15
place, when we
48:16
view it, when we
48:17
consider what
48:18
Christ has
48:18
done for us,
48:20
what we
48:21
see is the
48:22
greatest love
48:23
perfectly
48:24
practiced.
48:27
We come
48:27
to something
48:28
worthy of
48:29
our time.
48:31
It's the
48:31
greatest display
48:32
of love
48:33
that we
48:34
can know.
48:35
It's a love
48:36
that is beyond
48:36
our understanding
48:37
and beyond the
48:38
loves of this
48:39
world.
48:40
And even
48:40
though it is
48:40
a place of
48:41
pain and
48:41
sorrow,
48:43
it is
48:43
wrapped in
48:44
sweet beauty
48:45
and leaves
48:46
the deepest
48:47
marks
48:48
eternally.
48:52
For the
48:52
love of God
48:53
has not
48:53
died.
48:55
Jesus is
48:56
alive and
48:58
that love
48:58
still lives
49:00
and that
49:01
love is
49:02
still expressed
49:03
to every
49:03
single one
49:04
of us
49:05
today.
49:06
Jesus has
49:07
died for
49:08
you so
49:09
that you
49:10
can say
49:10
in no
49:11
uncertain
49:11
terms that
49:13
he loved
49:13
you.
49:18
If you
49:18
take the
49:19
fact that
49:19
someone dies
49:20
for another,
49:23
if someone
49:23
died for
49:24
you, what
49:24
implications
49:25
do we have
49:25
of that
49:26
action?
49:28
Why die
49:29
for someone
49:29
else?
49:30
For what
49:31
cause would
49:33
you need
49:33
someone to
49:34
die for
49:34
you?
49:36
Well,
49:37
usually it
49:38
is to
49:39
pay
49:39
punishment,
49:41
to pay
49:41
justice.
49:42
he dies
49:43
for you
49:44
so you
49:44
can go
49:45
free.
49:47
It may
49:48
die for
49:48
you to
49:49
rescue you
49:50
so you
49:51
can go
49:51
free.
49:52
By the
49:52
giving of
49:53
his life,
49:54
you may
49:55
continue to
49:56
live.
49:57
You may
49:57
not suffer
49:58
death.
50:00
Jesus is
50:01
the one
50:01
who gives
50:03
his life
50:03
so that we
50:04
can be
50:04
free.
50:05
Jesus is
50:06
the one
50:06
who bore
50:07
our punishment,
50:08
died as a
50:09
ransom for
50:09
many, as
50:10
we were
50:10
teaching the
50:11
children last
50:11
week, so
50:13
that we
50:13
may be
50:14
free.
50:17
This is
50:17
the great
50:18
action of
50:19
Christ's
50:20
love for
50:20
you, and
50:23
it bears
50:23
testimony to
50:24
the love
50:24
of God.
50:27
These
50:27
things are
50:28
not hidden
50:30
from us.
50:32
The
50:33
gospel has
50:34
been revealed
50:34
to every
50:35
single one
50:35
of us.
50:36
The love
50:36
of Jesus
50:37
Christ has
50:37
been shown
50:38
forth on
50:38
the cross,
50:39
that we
50:40
may come
50:41
and receive
50:42
it and
50:42
abide in
50:43
it, so
50:44
that we
50:44
may know
50:45
our purpose
50:45
in this
50:46
life, and
50:47
that we
50:47
may bear
50:47
fruit, and
50:48
that we
50:48
may with
50:50
confidence
50:50
rest and
50:51
remain with
50:52
him, and
50:53
assuredly
50:54
say,
50:55
Jesus loves
50:57
me.
51:00
Some of you
51:01
may be
51:01
sitting and
51:02
listening and
51:02
saying,
51:03
well, how
51:03
does all
51:03
this affect
51:04
me?
51:04
I
51:06
didn't
51:06
choose
51:07
Jesus to
51:08
die for
51:08
me, and
51:10
you're
51:10
right.
51:11
Read
51:11
verse 16
51:12
with me.
51:14
You did
51:15
not choose
51:15
me, but
51:17
I chose
51:18
you, and
51:20
appointed
51:20
you that
51:21
you should
51:21
go and
51:22
bear fruit,
51:24
and that
51:24
your fruit
51:25
should abide.
51:28
We did
51:29
not choose
51:30
God nor
51:31
Christ, but
51:32
he chose
51:33
us.
51:34
And he
51:35
is making
51:36
known these
51:37
things to
51:37
you today,
51:39
even if
51:39
you have
51:40
not chosen
51:41
him.
51:42
He is
51:42
displaying to
51:44
you and
51:44
portraying his
51:45
love for
51:46
you, so
51:48
that you
51:48
may know
51:49
how much
51:49
he loves
51:50
you, that
51:51
you may
51:51
come and
51:52
receive that
51:53
love, so
51:54
that you
51:55
may not be
51:55
a withered
51:56
branch, but
51:57
that you
51:57
may be
51:58
fruitful and
51:59
abounding in
51:59
fruit.
52:01
It is no
52:02
loneliness in
52:03
the love of
52:04
God, but
52:06
his love
52:07
gives us
52:08
the fullness
52:09
of joy, as
52:11
we see in
52:11
verse 11,
52:13
that we
52:13
come and
52:14
abide in
52:15
his love
52:15
with the
52:16
greatest
52:16
confidence,
52:18
growing in
52:19
his strength
52:20
that comes
52:21
to us,
52:23
pleasing to
52:24
God by the
52:25
fruit in
52:26
which we
52:26
bear.
52:27
love.
52:29
Jesus Christ
52:30
loves you
52:31
with an
52:31
everlasting
52:32
love, and
52:34
he has
52:34
chosen you
52:35
today to
52:37
hear these
52:38
things, to
52:40
hear that
52:41
he loves
52:41
you, that
52:42
you may
52:43
come and
52:44
abide with
52:44
him.
52:46
His love
52:47
was practiced
52:48
perfectly, but
52:49
he asks us to
52:50
practice love
52:51
too.
52:51
as the
52:53
love of
52:54
Jesus Christ
52:55
made an
52:55
impression on
52:56
you, have
52:57
you realized
52:58
just how
52:58
much he
52:59
loves you?
53:01
Well, he
53:01
asks us to
53:02
love him in
53:02
return by
53:05
obeying his
53:06
commands.
53:08
Read there
53:08
in verse 12,
53:09
this is my
53:10
commandment, that
53:11
you love one
53:12
another as I
53:13
have loved
53:14
you.
53:14
that we
53:17
in Jesus
53:18
Christ love
53:20
one another
53:21
that is here
53:22
and love the
53:23
world that is
53:24
out with the
53:25
doors of this
53:26
church, that
53:27
we practice the
53:28
love of Christ
53:29
as he did,
53:31
that we look
53:31
at him and
53:32
abide in his
53:33
word and
53:34
learn from him
53:35
and how to
53:36
practice love,
53:38
that we may
53:39
please God
53:41
the Father
53:41
by obeying
53:43
the commandments
53:44
of Christ
53:46
and likewise
53:47
the commandments
53:48
of God.
53:51
What are
53:52
our actions
53:53
of the love
53:55
of Christ?
53:56
How do we
53:57
respond to
53:58
the love of
53:58
Christ?
54:00
It's love
54:01
present in our
54:02
heart.
54:04
We are loved
54:05
with an
54:05
everlasting love,
54:06
a steadfast
54:07
love, an
54:08
eternal love,
54:09
a perfect
54:10
love and it
54:12
is for you to
54:12
hear about it
54:13
today.
54:14
He has
54:16
chosen you
54:16
and therefore
54:18
none of us
54:20
can leave this
54:20
building today
54:22
doubting that
54:23
love.
54:24
We are in no
54:24
uncertain terms
54:25
with doubts
54:27
or questioning
54:28
in our heart
54:28
whether Jesus
54:29
loves you or
54:30
not because
54:32
he gave his
54:33
life for you
54:34
and died for
54:36
you at
54:37
Calvary.
54:38
That is even
54:39
before we
54:40
consider the
54:42
sufferings of
54:42
the cross
54:43
and in such
54:44
a manner
54:45
in which
54:45
he died
54:46
but he
54:48
gave his
54:48
life for
54:49
you.
54:51
Come and
54:52
abide in
54:53
his love,
54:55
grow in
54:55
his grace
54:56
and bear
54:57
fruit to
54:58
the glory
54:59
of God.
55:00
That's what
55:00
he says to
55:01
each and
55:01
every one
55:02
of us
55:02
this morning.
55:03
May these
55:04
thoughts be
55:05
blessed to
55:05
us.
55:06
We'll
55:06
conclude
55:07
by singing
55:08
to God's
55:09
praise
55:09
in
55:11
Psalm
55:12
86
55:14
in the
55:16
Scottish
55:16
Psalter
55:17
version.
55:19
Find that
55:20
on page
55:21
341 of
55:22
the Blue
55:22
Book.
55:25
Psalm 86
55:26
We'll sing
55:30
from verse
55:30
10 down
55:31
to verse
55:32
Mark 13.
55:33
Amen.
55:36
From verse
55:37
10.
55:38
Because thou
55:39
art exceeding
55:40
great and
55:42
works by
55:43
thee are
55:43
done which
55:44
are to be
55:45
admired and
55:46
thou art
55:47
God thyself
55:49
alone.
55:50
Teach me
55:51
thy way and
55:52
in thy
55:52
truth O
55:53
Lord then
55:53
walk will
55:54
I unite
55:55
my heart
55:56
that I
55:57
thy name
55:57
may fear
55:58
continually.
56:00
O Lord
56:00
my God
56:01
with all
56:01
my heart
56:02
to thee
56:02
I will
56:02
give praise
56:03
and to
56:04
the glory
56:04
will
56:05
ascribe
56:05
unto thy
56:06
name
56:07
always
56:07
because
56:08
thy
56:09
mercy
56:09
toward
56:10
me
56:10
in
56:10
greatness
56:11
doth
56:11
excel
56:12
and
56:13
thou
56:14
delivered
56:15
hast
56:15
my
56:15
soul
56:16
out
56:17
of
56:17
the
56:17
lowest
56:18
hell.
56:19
We'll
56:19
stand
56:19
together
56:20
and sing
56:20
these
56:20
verses
56:21
from
56:21
verse
56:21
10
56:22
down
56:22
to
56:22
13
56:23
because
56:23
thou
56:23
art
56:24
exceeding
56:25
great.
56:25
great.
56:25
Because
56:29
thou art
56:32
exceeding
56:35
great
56:37
and works
56:39
by thee
56:40
are done
56:44
which are
56:46
to be
56:48
admired
56:51
and life
56:53
art
56:54
taught
56:55
thyself
56:58
alone.
56:59
Teach me
57:03
thy way
57:06
and turn
57:08
thy truth
57:10
O Lord
57:12
then walk
57:15
will I
57:17
unite
57:19
my heart
57:22
that I
57:24
thy name
57:27
may fear
57:30
continually
57:32
O Lord
57:36
O Lord
57:38
my God
57:41
with all
57:43
my heart
57:45
to thee
57:48
I
57:48
will
57:50
give
57:51
praise
57:53
and
57:54
die
57:55
the glory
57:58
well
58:00
has
58:01
died
58:02
unto
58:04
thy name
58:08
always
58:09
because
58:13
thy
58:15
mercy
58:17
towards
58:20
me
58:21
in
58:22
greatness
58:24
doth
58:26
excel
58:27
and
58:29
thou
58:31
deliver
58:32
deliver
58:33
touch
58:34
my
58:36
soul
58:38
I
58:39
call
58:40
the
58:42
lowest
58:43
hell
58:45
conclude
58:48
in prayer
58:48
as we park
58:49
our loving
58:50
heavenly
58:51
father
58:52
may we
58:53
realise
58:54
your love
58:54
as we gather
58:55
in your presence
58:56
this day
58:56
and may we
58:58
leave
58:58
abiding
58:59
and trusting
59:00
in that love
59:01
may your
59:02
grace
59:03
may
59:04
by abiding
59:05
in your
59:06
grace
59:06
may we
59:07
grow
59:07
the fruit
59:09
to the
59:09
glory
59:09
of God
59:10
and all
59:11
things
59:11
as we
59:12
live
59:12
our lives
59:13
sets
59:13
forth
59:14
love
59:15
as our
59:15
direction
59:16
and to
59:17
give
59:17
that glory
59:18
and return
59:19
to God
59:20
be with us
59:21
as we
59:21
part
59:22
which over
59:22
us
59:23
in the
59:23
evening
59:23
hours
59:24
and evening
59:24
services
59:25
may it
59:26
be a blessing
59:26
to our
59:27
hearts
59:27
and souls
59:27
forgive us
59:28
our sins
59:29
in Jesus
59:29
name
59:30
Amen